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Accountability | Collaboration | Transparency in County Government
“Creating a better community for all”
What Communities Are Saying
-- How have communities county-wide responded to the overwhelming amount of information in zMOD AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD CRISES? They have joined together and shared their work products and ideas:
The following declarations, statements and letters offer a repository of factual information and different perspectives. Collectively, they document the urgency with which concerned citizens wish to share the many issues and concerns zMOD raises among our varied, unique communities.
These communications have been openly shared in email threads among Fairfax civic/homeowner associations and individuals. The GOAL is to facilitate communication with county leadership. --
Please, take advantage of this resource.
Add your voice!
Speaking Out Against zMod’s Data Centers By Right:
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To the Editor:
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled on March 23 that the new Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance (zMOD) was illegal. But rather than allow the public time to digest and comment on the 691-page document, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on it, May 3 at 7:30 p.m., and the Board of Supervisors, May 9 at 4:30 p.m. This rush for reapproval leaves residents little time to prepare their responses and objections, or even to realize that zMOD will allow construction of data centers, by right, close to residential neighborhoods.
Of the nearly 400 emails received during the pandemic regarding zMOD, many complained of the dizzying number of changes to consider, the minimal time for discussions and that it was being rushed through during a pandemic. But the do-over is being rushed, too.
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Holmes Run Valley Citizens Association:
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The Board of Holmes Run Valley Citizens Association opposes the adoption of the zMOD Ordinance in its current form. The ordinance contains 11 or more substantive zoning ordinance amendments that have not been vetted with residents via the county’s standard process of dedicated staff reports and hearings.
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Hearings to consider reinstating the current zMOD Ordinance should not be held until publication of the necessary staff reports and sufficient time has been provided interested parties to review the reports and prepare testimony based on the information provided. Moreover, adoption of the 11 or more new/amended regulations clearly cannot be accomplished in the time available in a single Board hearing.
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McLean Citizens Association - 7/5/2023:
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Be it further resolved, that while MCA is supportive of the goals of the Parking Reimagined Initiative, it is opposed to certain proposed changes due to the lack of data or analysis that would support the proposed significant reductions in off-street parking, as discussed above; and
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Gazette Leader 7/10/2023:
The MCA board passed a resolution in favor of the proposal’s goals of balancing on-site parking with day-to-day needs, providing more flexibility in parking regulations to meet site-specific circumstances, streamlining of parking-proposal reviews and approvals, and updating county requirements for vehicle loading and stacking.
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But . . . (this is the MCA, so you knew there would be a “but”), the board also:
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Reston Citizens Association - 7/14/2023:
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Now, therefore, be it resolved. that the RCA strongly urges that this proposal be withdrawn until at least such time as its conformity with the letter and spirit of the One Fairfax Policy, the ADA, and other guiding principles can be achieved.
Now, therefore, in view of the foregoing, BE IT RESOLVED as follows:
1) The Joint Committee in the strongest possible terms opposes the Parking Reimagined amendment as currently drafted.
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2) The Joint Committee expresses the following specific objections about the proposal, as currently drafted:
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a) The reduced figure of 1.3 parking spaces per multifamily apartment is unrealistically low, and does not seem to be based upon real world experience currently being observed in Fairfax County or current data regarding the number of privately owned and operated cars in existing multifamily developments. The proposed reduction will, in all likelihood, force overflow parking demand into nearby neighborhoods.
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More on the way...